A chance meeting
by stevieLUVSAlex
Summary: Three years after Elliot left, a chance meeting occurs at a coffee shop in NY city. ) E/O shipping and a peaceful ending. ) ONE SHOT
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: I don't know where my muse came from. It just appeared out of nowhere and demanded to be heard. I miss this show so much. I don't watch it half as much as I should. But I am trying to get back on board. It's just hard not seeing Chris' face in the bullpen. I did watch a rerun yesterday because I am now addicted to EVERWOOD and the actress who plays Hannah – Sarah Drew – was in the episode RESPONSIBLE. Season 8 I think. If you're interested. In the episode everyone kept making references to Olivia and Elliot sleeping together. SERIOUSLY! I don't understand why the writers didn't just let us have that. **_

_**Anyways, I am a huge E/O shipper so, you know what to expect. Enjoy =)**_

Olivia snatched a napkin from the counter and turned to find an empty table. There were a lot of coffee shops in New York City. There were thousands of people that occupied the space surrounding each neighbourhood. The chance of bumping into someone you knew, unplanned, was near impossible.

So it came as a surprise when she saw _him._

As she slipped into an empty stool near the back of the shop, she reached for a book. On her days off, which were few and far between, Olivia liked to read in public places. The content of the book depended on her mood. Olivia opened the page marked dog eared and prepared to lose herself in the world of fantasy.

"Liv," the voice said inaudibly.

Something deep inside Olivia Benson seemed to choke her at the sound of the familiar nickname. No one had called her that in three years, except Munch and when he said it, it sounded very different.

Slowly, she lifted her head to find him standing there, a look of shock etched across his still-handsome face.

Three years.

By Olivia's calculations that's how long it had been since she'd last heard from him. Last seen him face to face. A lot of things had changed in her life since then. The precinct was different. Everything about it had been tainted somehow. The atmosphere. The people. Even those who had been there before - Munch, Fin, Cragen, Olivia - had all changed in large ways. It was nothing like it used to be, which was almost comforting. It meant the new ones who had come to work there, weren't a replacement. Getting used to the change had been a huge adjustment for Olivia Benson.

Unbreakable.

Olivia had always thought of their partnership as unbreakable. They'd lasted 12 years when most partners in the Special Victims Unit barely surpassed 2. But when he had left her without a word, without a phone call, and some stupid Semper necklace in the mail that was supposed to make up for it, she stopped believing that they were anything at all.

"Wow," he gasped. "You still look beautiful."

Olivia's heart hammered in her chest. "What are you doing here?" the voice seemed to belong to someone else but it had rose from her throat.

"I came to get coffee," he said, rising his Styrofoam cup.

"I mean…_ here_. Standing here. What are you doing standing here?"

"I saw you." The look on his face showed hurt but Olivia refused to feel sorry for him. what about her? What about all the months she spent crying herself to sleep. Missing him. Missing their partnership. Friendship. His voice. Their fights. He had abandoned her in every sense of the word and she wouldn't feel sorry for him.

"You saw me?" she laughed bitterly.

"I didn't want to walk out without at least saying hello. I can see you don't want to speak to me. I understand. I didn't handle things very well when I left."

"Very well?" she replied mockingly. "You didn't handle things at all. You walked out without even a phone call."

Elliot nodded. "I know. I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that."

"No," she snapped angrily. "I didn't."

Olivia collected her coffee cup and her book and stood from the chair.

"Can we talk?"

"I don't think so," she snapped, brushing passed him and heading out into the cold New York air.

Elliot followed her, hurrying to catch up as she strolled along the cement sidewalk in no particular direction. He reached for her arm pulling her to a stop. "Please, Liv. I'm sorry. It's been three years. I want to apologize."

"You're a little late for that," she hissed. "You just left, Elliot. No word. No call. You didn't even hint that you wanted to leave. You treated me like I meant nothing."

"I know," he said quietly. "It's why I couldn't tell you."

"I meant nothing?" she choked.

"No. You meant everything. I didn't know how to say goodbye. You were my best friend, Liv. You got me in ways that no one else ever did. It hurt me to walk away from that job but I couldn't go back after what I did."

"It wasn't your fault."

Elliot set his jaw. "Don't do that," he warned.

Olivia shook her head and turned to walk away but his grip tightened on her arm. She shook him off. "Don't touch me. Don't-"

"_Please_. I'm sorry. I've missed you."

Olivia squeezed her eyes shut trying to ignore his words. She wouldn't fall for his charm. Not a second time. She wouldn't survive if she did. "Is there not even a small part of you that misses me back?"

"A small part," she whispered.

"So, can we build on that? I have a lot to tell you. I lot to catch up on. I'm sure you do too."

"I don't know if I can…"

"Kathy and I are divorced."

"Again?"

"Yeah, it turns out I'm a worse husband when I'm not working as a cop. Go figure." He shrugged.

A smile slowly spread across her face.

"So, you married? Dating?"

"Yeah. Married."

"Yeah?" was that disappointment that flashed across his face or surprise?

Olivia laughed. "No. I dated a few guys. Never worked out. I just wasn't mean to-"

"Yes, you were. Someone loves you… he understands you and he's waiting until the time is right."

"I'm running out of time."

Elliot smiled. "You're still beautiful, Liv. The men flock to you, you just scare them away."

"Yeah, well…"

"Think you and I could grab dinner?" he asked rather forwardly.

"Why?" she asked sceptically.

"The man who loves you… he might be closer than you think."

Olivia's cheeks blushed fire red. "Yeah, okay." _What could it hurt?_

He nodded and slipped his hand into hers and lead her away.

_**A/N: Oh, I just can't help myself. So… if you liked it leave a review. =) **_


	2. Chapter 2

_**BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND (I've never used that phrase before)**_

_**I am here to give you the ending you guys so badly want. And it gives me an excuse to play with E&O and that's always fun. =)**_

_**I have been watching season 13 thanks to TL22 and I am SO Goddamn mad at everyone who sticks their finger into Olivia's wounds. Can't you see that she is in PAIN!? Cragen is an ass BTW for pushing her. And it's like in every episode thereafter someone is reminding Liv of the agony she is going through with Elliot. SHE KNOWS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMIND HER EVERY FRICKIN SECOND. GIVE HER A BREAK FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. Okay, that's my bitch for the day! =)**_

Elliot stopped in front of one of the most expensive restaurants in NYC.

"What are we doing here?" she frowned.

"Eating."

"Here?" she cried. Olivia was a simple woman. She was happy with takeout and hot dogs on the side streets. Restaurants and cocktail dresses were reserved for all those model women. On the rare occasion when Olivia would go on a date, she would be taken to one of the these insanely priced restaurants and the whole time she'd be wishing there were hot dogs on the menu.

"You deserve the best, Liv."

Her stomach flipped over like a pancake.

"I don't…"

"I know," he nodded. "You prefer hot dogs and takeout. But this is a special occasion."

Olivia smiled. "What's the occasion?"

"You and me, Liv."

She nodded. "You and me."

They went inside and were seated at one of the tables by the window.

"So tell me what's new with you?" Elliot asked, sipping on his drink. "I want to know something I don't know."

"I cook now."

Elliot raised an eyebrow. "You cook? As in ingredients in a pan, cook?"

Olivia smiled. "Yes. And I'm quite good."

"Wow. That's new."

"What about you?"

"I've been miserable for three long years. I hate working at a desk. I miss catching perps. I miss fighting with you over who's wrong and who's right. I miss having boundaries to work in. I miss breaking rules. I miss you, Olivia. I don't remember a single day of the past three years where I didn't wish I'd picked up the phone and called you."

"I wish you had. I felt like I'd lost my right arm, El. I didn't cope for months. I snapped at everybody. I said the wrong things to the rape victims. I pushed some women to go to court and made things harder for them. I wasn't myself. I haven't been myself. I knew that if I was ever going to get through it, I had to be someone else. I learned how to cook. I kept a diary. I-."

"A diary," he smiled.

"You're not readying it," she stated.

Elliot smirked. "Full of me, eh?"

"Yeah. But it's not good."

"You write what a bastard I was. All the things you hate about me."

"Pretty much," she smiled.

"Did it help?"

"No."

He took her hand across the table. "I love you, Olivia Benson. Your strength. Your resilience. Your temper. Your beauty. Your body…" he smirked.

"Me, too, El."

"So, can we start over? Can we try and make a go of this… you and me? US."

"I'd like that a lot."

An hour later, Elliot slammed her up against the wall in her apartment. He could feel every curve of her body pressed tightly against him. Elliot pressed her arms above her head and held him there having more power than she did. She tried to pull her arms away but he was much stronger than she was. Instead of fighting against him, she titled her head forward and kissed him squarely on the mouth. She craved him. She wanted him. She ached for him.

It was clear that he wanted the same thing.

"Make love to me, El," she whispered.

And he did.

_**A/N: I hope you guys are happy… I might even deserve a review or too. *blinks rapidly* PLEASE!**_


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